Harvey Elliott scored the decisive goal from Jarell Quansah‘s assist as England beat tournament favourites Spain to reach the semi-finals of the U21 Euros.
After coming through the group stage as runners-up, including a defeat to Germany, the Young Lions were faced with a tough test in the quarter-finals.
Coming up against a Spain side considered favourites to lift the trophy, Lee Carsley’s U21s needed to produce an outstanding performance.
And while they were often required to sit back and dig deep, they did just that as they struck twice early on and then clinched it in the closing stages to win 3-1 and book a semi-final spot.
Captain and Man City midfielder James McAtee had already put England 1-0 up when Quansah broke the lines and drove forward with 15 minutes on the clock, firing an effort from 30 yards which goalkeeper Alejandro Iturbe spilled.
Elliott was first to react, following up his Liverpool teammate’s effort to tap in and make it 2-0.
Spain brought it back to 2-1 before half-time, however, with the dangerous Javi Guerra converting from the spot after a clumsy foul in the box from Quansah.
Half-time came as a relief to England as the momentum shifted and Carsley will have steeled his players for a battle in the second half, with Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton among those crucial to the cause.
Goalkeeper James Beadle made a vital double save to deny Guerra and striker Jay Stansfield pressed relentlessly from the front as Spain were reduced to hopeful crosses from deep.
England’s let-off eventually came in the closing stages as Marseille’s Jonathan Rowe was brought down in the box and Elliot Anderson scored his penalty to make it 3-1.
Elliott played 71 minutes while both Quansah and Morton stayed on for the full 90, though a second booking of the tournament means the latter will now miss the semi-final.
That will come against the Netherlands on Wednesday night, which will see Elliott and Quansah face off against a Liverpool target in Jorrel Hato.
In the other side of the bracket, Denmark will face France and Germany take on Italy in the quarter-finals later on Sunday.
England are defending their title after winning the U21s Euros in 2023, with Elliott also part of that squad two years ago – when Curtis Jones scored the winner in the final against Spain.
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